1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a visual indicator for a valve and, more particularly, to a visual indicator for a valve with a rotary handle and, most particularly, to a visual indicator for an air tank valve with a rotary handle that does not move axially when rotated.
2. Background Information
Scuba tank valve handles currently on the market offer no easy way to visually determine whether the scuba tank air valve is in the “on” or “off” position. When trained for dive certifications, new divers are taught to release the air from the tank to their scuba first and second stage regulators by fully opening the tank valve. Normally, the procedure is three full turns on the handle, then rotating the valve handle one-quarter turn closed. The intention behind this procedure is so that a dive master, or a dive buddy, can determine the state of the valve by rotating the tank handle, to determine whether the tank valve is full, less a quarter turn, or full off, less no turn. With the many configurations in dive tank valves, such as stand alone, H-Valves, manifold with isolator valves, left-handed valves, right-handed valves, etc., it becomes very confusing for the diver and his buddy to determine whether the valve is turned on or off. It is a dive industry standard to have all tank valves open and close using the “righty, tighty, lefty, loosey rule,” regardless of tank handle and valve position or configuration. Unfortunately, because of the various configurations and unfamiliarity with valves mounted on the right or left side of a tank, once opened, other well meaning individuals may inadvertently close a valve and proceed to open the valve by only one-quarter turn.
One situation that can result due to this practice is that with his/her valve open one-quarter of a turn, the diver may receive enough air to start his dive with an ample air supply. This is possible because the tank pressure is great enough to allow pressurized air to pass through the valve seat at one-quarter turn. As the dive proceeds, air pressure drops due to reduced air pressure in the tank as air is consumed and/or the greater volume of air and air pressure required at greater depths. In either case, the valve may inadvertently seal shut, resulting in the catastrophic loss of air supply.
Another situation that is encountered when the tank valve is inadvertently turned to the closed position and then opened one-quarter turn is that enough air remains in the charged system for two full breaths before the air is depleted. Upon entering the water, a diver may release the air from his/her buoyancy compensating device. Without air to breathe or to compensate for their negative buoyancy, the diver falls into an uncontrolled decent.
There have been many documented cases of both of these scenarios throughout the dive community, in which many resulted in a fatality or serious injury due to decompression sickness.
There are many devices that have been installed on valves to indicate whether the valve is open or closed. Several of these devices have received a patent, including the following: U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,056 by Lee et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,255 by Thompson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,480 by Orum et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,385 by Legris; U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,860 by Taylor; U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,970 by Taylor; U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,064 by Linder et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,822 by Stommes et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,337 by Kemp; U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,185 by Booth et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,963 by Stommes et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,397 by Heiniger et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,509 by Daniels; U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,316 by Kerger et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,691,737 by Muller et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,541 by Pimouguet; U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,665 by Hannah et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,520 by Massengale et al.
A simple solution is to install an easy to read, color coded, visual tank valve handle indicator, which indicates whether the tank valve has been turned full on or full off at a glance. This ensures that standard training procedures and practices are adhered to, thus verifying that the tank handle indicator is functioning properly and breathing air has been turned on. Applicant has invented such a visual indicator system for the tank valve and attached handle of a scuba air tank.